President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Ohio is 57 - 33 percent, down from 67 - 16
percent February 6, and voters say 2 - 1 his mortgage rescue plan is unfair, but support it and say
it's necessary to help solve the housing crisis, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released
today.

The race for the 2010 Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate remains a wide-open
affair, with no candidate receiving more than 18 percent of the vote in a crowded field. In the
GOP primary race, former Congressman and Bush cabinet member Rob Portman holds a 31 - 14
percent lead over State Auditor Mary Taylor with 52 percent undecided.

"During a presidential election, Ohio is the single most important state in the country
because of its history of being a decisive barometer. So the 10-point drop in President Obama's
support in the Buckeye State is something that the White House might want to pay attention to,"
said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"The President's 57 percent job approval rating is obviously quite good, but the trend,
especially among evangelical Christians, is a sign that the honeymoon period might be winding
down. The drop-off in support is coming from those one might expect - Republicans, whites and
men. But of more political concern to the White House may be that Obama's approval rating
among independent voters fell from 72 - 12 percent to 55 - 29 percent."

"The good news for the President is that in Ohio voters give him much better grades for
handling the economy, 53 - 36 percent approval for handling the economy than they do their own
Governor, Ted Strickland, negative 39 - 45 percent, even though overall both men have almost
identical 57 and 56 percent approval ratings," Brown added.

The pending retirement of Sen. George Voinovich has set off a scramble for his seat in
which Democrats have an early edge, but the contest for their nomination is a wide open affair.

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher runs first in a trial heat among Democrats with 18 percent, followed
by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner at 14 percent, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan at 12 percent and
State Rep. Tyrone Yates at 6 percent, with 46 percent undecided.

"In Columbus there may be a great deal of jockeying about the Senate race, but around the
state voters have not yet begun to pay attention to the contest," said Brown. "It is clear at this
point that there remains a Democratic advantage in the Ohio electorate that evidenced itself in
2006 and 2008."

By a 63 - 30 percent margin Ohioans say the president's mortgage rescue plan is unfair to
those who make their payments on time, but 55 percent say they approve of the plan anyway.
Given a chance to explain their views, 25 percent say the plan is fair and they support it; 42
percent think it is unfair but support it as necessary and 31 percent think it is unfair and oppose it.

From March 10 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,299 Ohio voters, with a margin of
error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. The survey includes 463 Republicans with a margin of error of
+/- 4.6 percentage points and 506 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio and the
nation as a public service and for research.
For more data and RSS feed - http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

2. (If registered Republican) As you may know, Ohio Senator George Voinovich
will not be running for reelection in 2010. Thinking about the 2010 Republican
primary for United States Senator, if the 2010 Republican primary for United
States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Rob Portman and
Mary Taylor, for whom would you vote?

TREND: (If registered Republican) As you may know, Ohio Senator George
Voinovich will not be running for reelection in 2010. Thinking about the 2010
Republican primary for United States Senator, if the 2010 Republican primary
for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Rob
Portman and Mary Taylor, for whom would you vote? (*Someone Else & Wouldn't
Vote volunteered options not in option list)

3. (If registered Democrat) Thinking about the 2010 Democratic primary for
United States Senator, if the 2010 Democratic primary for United States
Senator were being held today and the candidates were Lee Fisher, Jennifer
Brunner, Tyrone Yates and Tim Ryan, for whom would you vote?

TREND: (If registered Democrat) If the 2010 Democratic primary for United
States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Lee Fisher,
Jennifer Brunner and Tim Ryan, for whom would you vote? (*Someone Else &
Wouldn't Vote volunteered options not in option list / na=not asked)

38. Which comes closest to your opinion about President Obama's plan to help
homeowners avoid foreclosure - President Obama's plan is fair and I support
it, President Obama's plan isn't fair but I still support it because it is
necessary or President Obama's plan isn't fair and I don't support it?